Lose 35 lb. before I turn 35!

Weigh Down Show Down

2011-05-15T19:55:00.007-05:00

Well it took some trial and error, but I believe I've got a solid weight loss plan in place. I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel. Follow me on http://weighdown-showdown.blogspot.com/ as I embark on a 40 lb. weight loss journey!

This will be my last post on 35 Before 35 because well....I'm no longer 35!! Even though my goal weight loss didn't occur, I enjoyed documenting my journey.

EPIC FAIL

2011-02-05T12:43:00.005-06:00

Well I'll be the first to admit that 35 Before 35 was an epic fail. I allowed the stress and the pleasures/guilt of overeating take over. I'm trying a new approach with a new blog. Stay tuned!

2010-07-24T13:55:00.003-05:00

7-24-10, 191.5 lbs

Can't say I'm happy with the weight gain, but I may as well deal with it positively until I shed some of the pounds. Moping about it is not going to make it go away anytime soon!

Starting Over

2010-07-19T21:01:00.006-05:00

7-19-10, 194 lbs.

Unfortunately I gained my weight back and then some. Boooooooooooo! I couldn't handle the second semester work stress and balancing life and PIGGED almost daily to my hearts content.

The culprit?

Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Espresso

It is sooooo good. I was already regressing back to my old ways and then my husband introduced me to this coffee, and it was over once I became hooked. I remember the date February 13, 2010. We ended a great birthday night out on the town at Starbucks.

I dealt with stress nearly everyday at work and didn't exercise. Some days were more stressful than others. On less stressful days, I treated myself to a short cup. On the crazy days, I downed a GRANDE. Calories galore. I couldn't cope in a healthy way and I'm definitely paying for it now.

Well, there's no more excuses. My daughter turned 4 years old today and blaming the weight gain on baby weight can absolutely no longer be used as an excuse. I'm not giving up and will continue to try to shed this thickness, lol!

Wishful Thinking

2010-01-05T10:25:00.002-06:00

Call it wishful thinking, but I was hoping to lose all that holiday damage from my one single workout session this morning. The scale read 184 lbs. this morning. Dang. I'm sitting here on my lunch break glad to be back at work to be honest. The busyness of it all keeps me from just sitting around the house eating throughout the day, but I was grateful for the mental break nonetheless. I'm just now feeling the guilt from not working out for 2 straight weeks. I'll know how to handle things a bit better this December. Time to refocus.

9.5 lbs. Lost, 25.5 to go

2010-01-02T21:39:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year!! Seems like being home on winter break has caused me to have forgotten that I was trying to lose weight. The intent was NOT take a total vacation from working out and eating whatever whenever. It seems like I nearly abandoned the fact that I'm trying to reach a goal. Dang, I should've never eased up. I'll get back on track. I'm not giving up, but it doesn't look like 35 before 35 will happen....more like 35 after 35 LOL! If I can at least lose 20 before 35 I'll be content.

One thing I like about the new year is the optimism of new beginnings. It's a good time to have a renewed mindset and make resolutions! I definitely need to work on my spiritual relationship, growth, and journey. I started a running list of resolutions. It's not complete, but here's what I have so far...

Exercise 5x a week
Get to church on time
Go to Sunday School once a month
Pray on knees (instead of the bed) morning AND night
Read Bible chapter daily
Post my students grades timely
Return their homework timely
Pay tithes weekly
Pay bills on time all the time
Lesson plans on Sunday
Children in bed and fed at 8:30 pm
Increase $$$ in savings
Save $$$ for a vacation
Work on financial portfolio/nest egg
Eliminate procrastination issues

I'll do my best to stick to it...so far not so good.

The Ongoing Struggle

2009-12-31T09:09:00.011-06:00

I woke up feeling optimistic telling myself I can win this battle of the bulge **until** I spotted the homeade peanut brittle boxed and beautifully wrapped on my kitchen counter thanks to my husband's customers (they give us things ranging from cigars, cake balls, to huge bags of onions.) I felt so guilty after eating the first box of peanut brittle given to us last week. --After eating the first patty, I handed the box back to my husband and told him to get rid of it. Keep in mind these patties are nearly 4 inches in diameter. Well, his way of getting rid of it was putting it in his pickup truck parked in the garage...what the mess?? Out of sight was not out of mind in this case. Needless to say the box somehow made it back in the house and I polished it off. Booooo! I'm not even a p-brittle fan, but this is absolutely the best I've ever had. I can't believe he had the audacity to bring home another box last night. I feel the need to throw it away, but I'm torn between keeping it and not being wasteful. I just thought of an idea....I'll give it to family when I see them on the New Year's Day. Problem solved. Now, if I can just hold out from not eating another patty until tomorrow.

I thought I was finished with the holiday food obstacle course. I mentioned in the previous post how my dad wanted us to gather together New Year's Day. Getting together is cool, all the food we are planning to eat is not so cool. I've yet to reach to the point of total self control so had it just been me, husband and the children, we would just have black eyed peas w/ jowls for luck and baked chicken....maybe a salad. Instead we're having:

3-cheese macaroni and cheese
turnip greens
cornbread- sinful recipe made w/ sour cream and whole kernal corn
grilled chicken
ribs
black eyed peas
sweet potato casserole
caramel fudge cake

This is the actual menu my dad and I discussed. New Year's Day/New Beginnings and I'm already losing. I'm up to 183.5 lbs b/c I've been showing out these past couple of days and I've yet to go to the gym. Sleeping in has been so much more fun.

I did make a baby step and added 25 songs to my playlist b/c I was getting so bored w/ my workout music. I am so not computer savvy, but I did figure out how to download it on my device. I have included working out on my schedule today (I'm already behind schedule), so I better get a move on it. Maybe I can get 3 days in this week. It's better than not doing anything at all.

Last, if anyone knows me, they know I hate to shop. I hate beauty salons too, but that's another story. However, I live for pedicures but that's another story too. Anyway, I want to look decent and not frumpy, but I never have the time, patience, or money to clothes shop! It's an enjoyable pasttime for many people, but not me. However, I love online shopping....well online window shopping b/c you don't have to dig through racks, search for your size, deal w/ traffic, wait in lines, etc. I spent about 2 hours last night window shopping online. Picked out about $500 (of money I don't have but I bargained shopped) worth of clothing. I was torn between getting clothes that fit now or clothes that is a size smaller. I'll decide later what to do IF I make the purchase. At the rate I'm going, I'll need to get a size larger.

I love tunics. I just find them so age appropriate, flattering, and comfortable. Baby doll dresses, empire/high waisted garments, and belted sweaters are cute on some women, but they alway look like maternity wear on me. I envy women w/ tiny waists! Well I'm off to handle business this New Year's Eve. I've got alot to do before everything closes.

10.5 lbs. Lost, 24.5 to Go!

2009-12-26T23:14:00.009-06:00

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

Happy holidays! Even though this post is marked 12-26-09, I'm actually typing this entry on 12-29-09! I've been so busy doing practically nothing. One of the awesome benefits of teaching is the winter, spring, and summer breaks. I only have a few more days to enjoy the time off until I'm back on the grind.

I'm a bit worried about managing my weight this holiday season because of so many opportunities to pig out. There were so many obstacles this latter half of 2009. I had to get through:

Halloween (candy)
my son's November birthday (dinner outing, cake, ice cream)
Thanksgiving (turkey & dressing and all the fixin's)
and worst of all Christmas (potlucks at work, 2 weeks off work SITTING at the house, cakes, food at family gatherings, etc.)

I've still got to get through New Years b/c my dad wants us to get together. He's a great cook and is doing some of the cooking. I'm trying to start the new year on the right foot, but I don't know how that's going to happen w/ the menu we're planning.

I have to mention that last Wednesday (12-23-09) I "officially" got off my diet/workout regimen. I did well the first few days home sticking to the workout plan exercising on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I was honestly miserable. I was tired of waking up early and fighting the urge of not eating all the bad stuff. So I threw in the towel telling myself it will only be temporary.

Well I have to admit I showed out and indulged! You name it, I ate it! I love food, I dream about food. I think the highlight of my eating was the chocolate chip walnut cookies I made Christmas morning and the below cake recipe I made also that morning. Words can't describe how gooood the carmel fudge cake is. I wouldn't allow myself to take any home from where I took it to our family gathering, but I definitely ate my fair share while there. The last time I made the cake was a few years ago when my college buddy came for a visit. We ate on that cake late at night for what seemed like days laughing and catching up and what not. When she headed home, I stepped on the scale and GAINED 7 pounds. I recently read on the intenet how this recipe has a whopping 2200+ calories. Good grief. The worst part about it is that I don't feel guilty.

........Well now, I'm officially back on the diet. I fought the urge late last night to head to the convenience store to buy pretzels, a chocolate muffin (haven't had those in a LONG time), and grape juice. I would've done it had I not been so sleepy. This morning that craving somewhat subsided and I found the courage to step on the scale and was not as shocked as I thought. At one point my weight had risen to 183.5-- a 5 pound gain since my 12-19-09 weigh in, but this morning I was at 181.5 lbs. --the same as my 12-26-09 recorded weigh in. I didn't get a chance to work out this morning so I'll guess I'll have to do that sometime today in order to get my 5x a week work out in.

Lord knows I've got a stressful first half of 2010 ahead of me w/ work, projects, and certification exams, so I'm bracing myself. I'm convinced that stress alone will help me lose this weight and hopefully not have the opposite effect.

12.5 lbs. Lost, 22.5 to Go!

2009-12-19T10:15:00.004-06:00

I was really hoping to lose a couple of pounds this week instead of gaining a pound! I shouldn't be too suprised b/c once again I wasn't on my best behavior, but I didn't do too bad either. I managed to stay away from the donuts, holiday potlocks, and what not, BUT I found myself eating those miniature holiday Snickers here and there as well as pretzels this week.

I have to confess to being bad last night eating 2 big slices of pepperoni pizza. I think I'm going to quit eating that on Friday nights b/c I didn't sleep well last night, had indigestion, and woke up w/ a terrible case of the blahs. I was in such a funk that I didn't want to work out this morning. I managed to do so, but I was not into it. Luckily, I managed to get my 5x 1 hour sessions in this week. *****sigh**** I've got so much to do around this house...gotta map out a plan to figure out how to do it all b/c I have no clue where to start.

13.5 Lost, 21.5 to Go!!

2009-12-12T11:23:00.005-06:00

(178.5 lbs on 12-12-09)
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

Yay!! I lost 2 lbs. this week! I'm out of the 180s lb. range and want to stay OUT! I have to honestly say I'm suprised because I misbehaved a little bit. I wonder how much I could've lost had I behaved? I felt so good last Saturday morning b/c I had worked out an hour and a half, but ooo-wee Saturday afternoon I showed out eating BBQ. I told myself I'd just eat a yogourt parfait that night, but no. I ate a huge chef salad, which isn't bad, but I drowned it w/ dressing. I didn't do too well the remainder of the week either.

I had felt so guilty about Saturday night that I told myself I would start working out 6x a week since I'm still having trouble w/ portion control. I had intended to rest Sunday AND Monday. I rested Sunday, but woke up early Monday and Tuesday to work out. I was so exhausted from only having 1 day off after working out 5 straight days. I wasn't at all into the work outs. I was unhappy and instead of feeling energized, I was sleepy both days at work. I went home and went STRAIGHT to bed. I ended up not working out Wednesday and Thursday. I resumed working out Friday and Saturday and felt much better. So I worked out 4x this week. I can't handle 6x yet, but 5 days will probably work best for now.

I need to develop a dinner menu plan TODAY so I can avoid what happened last week. I'm grateful to have a husband willing to step in and cook, but he's a meat and potatoes type of guy. I hate to make excuses, but 14 years of dating and marriage to him is how I put on this weight. I'm convinced.

11.5 lbs. Lost, 23.5 to Go!

2009-12-05T12:29:00.006-06:00

I managed to lose 2.5 lbs. working out 4x this week. Yay! I did fully recover from that nasty foot injury and could've worked out Tuesday morning, but instead I started getting too comfortable with staying in bed. Shoot, it's cold outside and staying under the covers seemed far better. Well, I started feeling sluggish, acting grouchy, noticing dark circles around my so-called rested eyes, and experencing stress and tension. So I made myself get out of bed and hit the gym. On top of that, I'm allowing myself a full hour to get the most out of my work out.

I've modified the regimen a bit. The Pilates isn't working out too well. I'm going to have to figure out how to incorporate that in my plan because I hate working out at home. --There's too many distractions. Soooooooooo my new plan (in order) includes:

2 miles on the treadmill- Right now it takes 30 minutes to cover around 2.15 miles. I burn close to 300 calories doing so. I haven't started jogging yet, but I walk in a brisk manner.
100 crunches
25 reps on 6 various weight machines- I select 2 machines each to focus on my legs and arms and then select one ab machine and one machine that focuses on strengthening my lower back.

I always feel good at the end of the work out. I learned my lesson so I make sure to warm up before and after to prevent injury. I'm still struggling just a little bit when it comes to making wiser choices in foods. I misbehaved earlier that week, but got somewhat back on track towards the end. Salt and sweets are still my weaknesses, but I'm learning moderation. I'm definitely losing inches, but I'm wondering if I will lose the remaining pounds by my birthday. Hmmmm.....

9 lbs. Lost, 26 to Go!

2009-11-28T11:05:00.005-06:00

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AoX9uU3swo45cEhIc1lpNVlUaVB5bU4ta3NPdEstR3c&hl=en

Unfortunately I gained weight this week. I think the only reason it wasn't more than the 2 lbs. put on was because I exercised 5x this week. I knew weigh-in was this morning, but I showed out late last night. I couldn't put the pretzels down, I devoured a caramel-fudge sundae from Sonics, and I had the midnight munchies and ate 2 turkey sandwiches and a bag of Sunchips. I'm going to use the PMS excuse once again. I don't know how else to explain. Maybe it's just old fashion greediness, lol! I told myself I would work out early this morning, but I woke up to INTENSE pain on the back of my foot. I'm miserable and I'm limping around here. I don't know what I did wrong....apparently I pulled or tore something while on the treadmill. I'm going to rest my left foot today and Sunday (maybe Monday) to see if the pain subsides. I'll make sure I warm up well once I get back to the gym. Man, I wish I had a prescription pain killer b/c this 500 mg Tylenol isn't working fast enough. Bummer.

I only have 11 weeks left until my birthday and 26 lbs. left to lose. I'm going to have to really step it up a few notches if I want to lose at least 2.5 lbs a week. This is interesting to me b/c I'm learning so much about myself while on this journey. One thing is that my appetite is usually tame for 2 weeks, but on the 3rd week it intensifies. Also, I hate exercising in the evenings. I feel more alert when I exercise in the mornings. Also, exercise really helps with any anxiety that I feel.

I really want to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stop all of this yo-yo dieting. I need the balance of not having to try so hard of maintaining weightloss and for it to just happen naturally. In other words, if and when I get this weight off. I want to keep it off.

Getting Back on the Wagon

2009-11-27T12:55:00.009-06:00

I admit I was losing focus earlier this week and still struggling somewhat. It started last Friday night with succumbing to the tempatation of buying fried chicken from the grocers deli, doing the ultimate no-no of grocery shopping w/ my husband on Sunday afternoon (purchasing all these snacks so he would have stuff to munch on while he watched football), giving into the cravings I had for McDonald's french fries and their Filet-o-fish Monday afternoon (I told myself I would forgo dinner), and allowing myself to eat the catfish my husband FRIED Monday evening b/c I was too tired to cook (I should've skipped the McD's and baked the catfish myself Monday evening). I honestly didn't think I would recover especially with being off work the remainder of the week and thinking I won't be able to stand a chance against Thanksgiving Day.

Well.....I did recover....sort of.....

I did manage to work out Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (yes, I worked out Thanksgiving morning! A first for me!), and today!!! I was determined even with having achilles tendonitis pain on my left foot! I had put on about 3 lbs. from pigging out last Friday through Monday, but my weight is now fluctuating since I managed to work out. Controlling myself on Thanksgiving Day was a bit of a challenge. I had small portions on my plate, but still felt hungry afterwards. The big mistake was when I went back for seconds and added dessert and a soda. Crap. I was stuffed to the point of feeling miserable.

I tried to redeem myself by not allowing myself to bring a plate home and worked out an hour this morning. I feel great, but I came home and snacked a bit (boooooooooo!) I've got pretzels here that I really need to get rid of as well as a few other snacks. The calorie count plan today was to work out, eat a bowl of Special K cereal w/ 1% milk, and Subway for dinner since I do not intend on eating the DEER RIBS (yikes) my husband took out the freezer to cook tonight. Instead I started munching on granola, pretzels, and Sun Chips!! I've got so much to do so once I finish blogging so hopefully everything I've got to do will burn up the calories of junk that i ate.

My goal this week was to at least try to maintain my current weight and not gain, but I really would like to get down to 180 when I weigh in on Saturday. I'm SO ready to get out of the 180s and on to the 170s. I'm ready to see this happen!

11 lbs. Lost, 24 to Go!

2009-11-21T19:38:00.002-06:00

(181 lbs on 11-21-09)

So glad the weight is coming off slowly but surely. I try to keep my calories under 1500 each day. We'll see how that works over time. It's nice being able to fit into some of my clothes that were tucked away in the closet.

PILATES!

2009-11-18T07:56:00.001-06:00

So I've decide to give Pilates a try. Seems like all the celebrities swear by it. This article http://www.pilatescentral.co.uk/famous-pilate-devotees.asp talks about how it helps strengthens, tones, and enlogate so I'm going to give it a go. Luckily I have that On Demand feature with my cable television service so I just do it at home. I'm currently maintaing my weight at 181.5, but it's a bit challenging....almost obsessive. Counting calories, fighting the urge to give in to snacks I crave, and fighting the urge to eat when I wake up in the middle of the night.

One good thing is that I finally acquired a taste for yogurt thanks to McDonalds. The only way I can eat it is with fruit and granola. That little cup is strangely filling so I hope it helps me reach my goal. We'll see....

My mother (1950-1997)

2009-11-18T07:49:00.004-06:00

Today marks 12 years since my mother's passing and not a day goes by that I don't think about her. My baby girl is about the same age as I was in this picture. I'm guessing my mother was about 28 or 29 in this photograph.

10 lbs.Lost, 25 to Go!

2009-11-14T22:30:00.011-06:00

182 lbs. on 11-14-09

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AoX9uU3swo45cEhIc1lpNVlUaVB5bU4ta3NPdEstR3c&hl=en

I'm excited that I lost that 10 lbs. Unfortunately, losing 7 lbs. this week was due to having strep throat and zero appetite. Excuse the tired expression on my face and the colorful hair accessories. I decided to use pipecleaners to curl my locs.

3 lbs. Lost, 32 lbs to Go

2009-11-09T18:10:00.005-06:00

I was devasted about gaining nearly 5 lbs in one week, but I realize pms does a number on me. One thing I've learned is that I'm usually well behaved a good solid 2 weeks out the month, but by the 3rd and part of the 4th week I just pig out! I've got to get a handle on that, but I'm not sure how.

Since my official weigh-in day is each Saturday, I went ahead and recorded my 189 lb. weight, BUT I came down with a nasty sore throat Saturday night. I doctored on it ALL weekend but it just wouldn't go away. I feel like total crap and just couldn't take it another day. I went to my doctor this afternoon and just like I figured....strep throat. My husband just made it home with my Z-pack prescription so I'm hoping it will knock out the pain and lower my fever immediately. I'm so miserable.

The only upside is this sickness leaves me with little appetite. My throat feels like razors and the thought of eating overwhelms me. Just tried eating a mashed banana, and it felt like gravel going down. I weighed in at 189 Saturday morning and by this afternoon I was 183.5. Imagaine that, 5.5 lbs. weightloss in 2 days. I'll just milk it for what it's worth b/c no telling what will happen once I get over this strep. My appetite may come back with a vengence OR maybe this will be a new start towards my weightloss efforts.

We'll see. Weigh-in is on Saturday.

7.5 lbs. Lost, 27.5 to Go!

2009-10-31T09:24:00.007-05:00

(184.5 lbs on 10-31-09)

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

I'm so elated about my weightloss! I'm still struggling to find the time to work out during the week, but I managed to work out this weekend. I believe my weightloss resulted from the stress I felt all this week. I've been so busy with meetings and and trying to meet deadlines. Stress usually have the opposite effect on my appetite. It's strange because I haven't had much of one and I actually like this feeling. Any other time I'd be wolfing down a burger, fries, and shake so I'm going to embrace this feeling and hope it lasts.

I haven't had the time to cook much this week so my dad made the children spaghetti. They've been eating on that plus the McDonald's they've eaten the two nights I've had to take them to work when I held parent-teacher conferences. Our usual dinners include fish, tacos, chili, cheeseburgers, pasta, chicken, chops, and pizza and bbq on the weekends. Mostly red meet throughout the week.

I haven't had red meat in a couple of weeks (not intentionally) and I can feel the difference. I feel lighter. I tried converting to turkey years ago, but turkey burgers made me want to barf! I usually only prefer turkey on deli sandwiches. I'll start with turkey chili and seasoned ground turkey in my tacos to see if the family likes it. Maybe that will help with my weightloss.

4.5 lbs Lost, 30.5 to Go!

2009-10-24T12:56:00.007-05:00

(187.5 lbs. on 10-23-09)

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

I managed to lose 4 lbs. this week...How? I really have no clue b/c I haven't exercised in nearly 2 weeks. I managed to work out 25 minutes yesterday and about 30 minutes this morning. I have been stressed and overwhelmed. I didn't get a chance to grocery shop this week so we've been eating take out, well really my husband and the kids. I've been just snacking here and there. That's probably the reason I lost those few pounds...I definitely don't want to see them come back!

Mission Accomplished!

2009-10-20T22:53:00.003-05:00

Wowzers!!! I lost 60 pounds overnight!! And then.....I woke up. I WISH it was that easy to drop those pounds. Someone needs to call the law b/c looking at Halle's body w/ my face is making me blush!

.5 lbs Lost, 34.5 lbs to Go!

2009-10-17T21:33:00.002-05:00

Boooooo! Had a bad week, but I've got to place the blame on PMS! I've been so busy, stressed, unbelievably weepy, insatiable appetite, tired, moody, forgetful and so unfocused. Good Lord, I'm struggling. I'll get it together.....but when???

2 Pounds lost, 33 to Go!

2009-10-10T08:00:00.005-05:00

I tried to make an effort this week, but I was soooo bad. Just literally bad to the chicken bone, but it wasn't my intent to have a Friday night gorge fest. It basically started Friday morning. I had run out of groceries and had to leave work to buy lunch. Well I was craving Chick Fil A --I know...not a good place to go if you're trying to watch your weight, but they have a really cool meal builder http://chickfila.com/#calculator that helps you build your own meal to monitor your calories. Awesome! So I built a 555 calorie kids meal! I mean I counted calories right down to the drinks and condiments!! I opted for the 15 calorie diet lemonade rather than the 150 regular lemonade, and chose the 30 calorie fat free honey mustard dressing for a dipping sauce rather than the 140 calorie Chick Fil A sauce. I didn't think 555 calories was too bad since I missed breakfast. I would just go easy on dinner until.....

Afterschool.

I was given about 18-22 donut holes. They were actually given to me that morning, but I didn't want them. I told myself I would save them for my 3 children, but I sneaked and ate a few on the drive to pick them up from school. Out of those 18 or so donut holes, my little ones only had a few a piece. They were like, Mama??!! Is this all we get???!!

and then...

I rarely feel like cooking on Fridays (or any day of the week for that matter) and didn't feel like driving across town to my favorite pizza place to pick up dinner. So I decided to go to my local grocer's deli. They have the best fried chicken, but I had sworn off of fried foods while I was dieting. I had planned to buy individual pieces for the kids, but couldn't resist their 8 piece special. On top of that they had a huge cotton candy display (sugar is my absolute weakness) and I succumbed. I was soooo bad and hate to make excuses, but after a stressful week it feels so good to go upstairs **alone** to the media room, eat to my hearts content, and watch Project Runway and Real Housewives of ATL. I felt so guilty after all of that that i just went to bed.

Looking at my personal planner, the upcoming weeks are not about to get any less stressful so I've got to actually write out a daily schedule and incorporate 1 hour of exercise. Once again, I let a week go by w/o hitting the gym. I was flipping through an issue of Glamour magazine and found a BMI calculator. The same calculator can be done on their website: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/body/calculators/body-mass-index

I wasn't suprised when it said I was overweight. According to the calculator, if I want to maintain my goal weight, I will need to consume no more than 2216 calories per day. It also suggested I cut back 250 cal. and burn the same. Obviously, eating that cotton candy, donut holes, and fried chicken DID NOT help, lol.

Well, I've got a busy day ahead of me. I'm hoping to go out tonight (something I rarely do) w/ my girlfriend. First thing on my to do list is to exercise, I'm feeling so guilty about my friday night gorge fest that I want to jog 6 miles this morning. Ciao!

Fighting the Urge

2009-10-05T10:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm sitting here on my 30 minute lunch break CRAVING a glazed doughnut. I've calculated the time it takes me to go to Shipleys donuts and back...only takes me 7 minutes. ***Repeating to myself Prayer, focus, prayer, focus**** I can't give in b/c I'll set myself up for failure if I do. I think I can do this...No, I know I can b/c I fought the urge to buy a double chocolate muffin last night. I'm going to learn to kick this sweet tooth habit. I packed my lunch this morning so I've got enough fruit to keep me full for the day.

Next short term goal is to work out AND study for my Praxis II PLT tonight.

2 pounds lost, 33 to go!

2009-10-03T19:30:00.000-05:00

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

***Sigh*** Ending week 5 with only a 2 pound total weightloss since starting this journey. I'm 5.5 pounds behind schedule!! I didn't get a chance to exercise this week, but I did incorporate the all fruit diet that I've been avoiding. Since I'm not finding the time to exercise, I replace the more caloric meals (breakfast & lunch only) w/ fruit each day. I have to admit (with the exception of not exercising last week) I was a bit more disciplined when it came to eating. I'm getting impatient, though. I'm ready to shed these pounds!!!

Desperate Measures

2009-10-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

...Well the title Desperate Measures may be a little extreme, but I'm struggling to find time to exercise so I've resorted to a weightloss method I've used off and on for about 9 years now. I just basically eat fruit all day and all afternoon. I fill my purse up w/ fruit each morning Monday thru Friday and eat it whenever I get hungry. I try to eat a sensible after school snack and dinner. The weightloss results aren't lasting b/c I get sick of eating nothing but fruit and cannot even bear the thought of looking at it!! I end up going back to my old habits and then the weight creeps back. I feel I need to do this for now b/c my calorie intake is exceeding the calories that I burn. Hopefully, I'll establish an exercise regimen sooner than later.....

TGIF! Michael Jackson Tribute Karaoke

2009-10-02T21:23:00.000-05:00

TGIF!! It has been a LONG and tiring week and I am so grateful the weekend is here. They're usually a blur and never long enough, but we try to make the most out of them. We've got a very busy weekend ahead of us so the children and I decided to let off some steam and do a song and dance tribute to MJ. My oldest son selected the song. My children wear my nerves at times, but I thank the Lord for them.

.5 lbs. Lost, 34.5 to Go

2009-09-26T22:42:00.000-05:00

This weight loss effort is harder than I thought! Two years ago I did a similar journey http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPwYRgUt7nXHAA and had already lost 8.5 pounds by week four. Can't figure why I'm having a harder time now. Maybe it's my age. The only difference between the 2007 regimen and 2009 regimen is that I would spend 15-20 minutes in the sauna after each workout. Could that be it? The new gym where I work out doesn't have one. Oh well, I'm going to keep trying....

EDITED TO ADD...

I now remember exactly how I lost the extra weight. I exercised along with incorporating an all fruit diet for breakfast and lunch. Think I may resort back to that...

1.5 lbs. lost, 33.5 to Go

2009-09-19T18:35:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately I didn't lose any pounds this week and thankful I didn't put on a few! I had a sweet/salty tooth all week and today was the icing on the cake literally. I attended my teacher licensure class this morning and the program treats us to two scheduled snack breaks and lunch each time we meet. Lunch is usually fried chicken, roasted chicken, fish, bbq, turkey or ham sandwiches, etc. with all the trimmings. Snacks include endless amounts of chocolates, crackers, cheese, pretzels, rice krispies treats, muffins, fruit, just all sorts of stuff.

Well, I don't have much self control and felt like a kid in a candy store! Boy I ate today and topped things off by going to Community Bakery to get myself a cupcake! Guess I lost my mind there...oh well tomorrow will be a new day. I'm sure dreading going to the gym b/c I'm sooo tired. I went to bed after 1 a.m. and woke up at 5:30 a.m. Naptime now, gym later on....maybe.

On an unrelated note, I did the weekly grocery shopping today (so glad I got that out the way) and Mary J. Blige Essence Magazine Cover caught my eye! SHE LOOKS FANTABULOUS! She rocks!!

Moody Blues

2009-09-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

I've been in a funk all week and regressed a bit. Don't know if it's because it's been raining all week, or that my house is a mess, pms, or that my weekend is jam packed with all work and no play. Well, I'm ready for this dark cloud to pass on b/c I've been showing out! I succumbed to the tempation of eating McDonalds french fries, salty pretzels, and.......double chocolate muffins. There's gotta be 700 calories in the Deli Express muffins I so love. Man....well I did manage to run two miles this morning. I heeded His voice and got out of this funk and worked out. If I can exercise one hour today and one hour after my Saturday teaching licensure class, I'll have my 5x a week/1 hr per day workout goal out the way. Weigh-in is tomorrow.

Gotta.Buy.Whitney.Houston.CD.This.Weekend

2009-09-18T11:31:00.001-05:00

I rarely buy CDs, but I have a large collection of CDs I've purchased over the last 10 - 15 years. Nowadays, I may like a song or two from a CD and will just download the song from Amazon.com. I feel the urgent need to buy Whitney's new CD to add to my collection. I've always loved her through her ups and downs and feel so glad to hear about her making it through her struggles. I wish her success as she takes it one day at a time! My all time favorite artists are (no particular order):

Erykah Badu

Whitney Houston

India.Arie

Mary J. Blige

Sam Cooke

Best Friend and Worst Enemy

2009-09-18T09:13:00.001-05:00

I'm definitely an Analog Girl in a Digital World when it comes recording all my appointments in my planner. My husband thinks I should convert all the contents to the planner/calender feature on my phone, but I just like the idea of looking at the information on the "month-at- a- glance " calendar page of the planner. Yeah it's bulky and yeah it's heavy, but it's the only way I can keep myself organized.

It's my best friend because it helps me remember all my activities , appointments, and track my workouts, BUT it's my worst enemy b/c looking at it sometimes stresses me out and makes me feel completely overwhelmed!!

Semi-Bonafide Product Junkie

2009-09-18T08:44:00.000-05:00

I confess that I am a semi-bonafide hair product junkie, lol! I am always on the search for that perfect product to use on my natural hair. The catch is that I prefer products with natural ingredients and try to avoid products that contain sulfates and parabens (read here http://www.starflower.com/Dangers-of-Parabens_ep_32-1.html .

I have to give the title of the Bonafide Product Junkie to my girl Deb shown in the picture. She's been natural longer than I have and introduces me to ALOT of products, but I've done my fair share of introducing her to some as well. Well....I'm on the prowl for another product and I'm facing a challenge trying to get my hands on it! I absolutely love the products I'm using now but it's way too pricey for my budget.

I'm currently using Earthly Delights found at Whole Foods. The Tropical Rain Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Growth Stimulator Pomade is HEAVENLY but runs about $50 bucks for the three! The shampoo and conditioner bottles are 16 oz, but my husband has fallen in love with the products so we're going through it pretty fast! I also use extra virgin olive oil from time to time in my hair for nourishment as well.

The other product I like is Taliah Waajid's Black Earth. Great product but it contains both the good and unfortunately bad ingredients that I try to avoid. The price is moderate and it was a time that I could only order it online. Lo and behold I recieved an email from the owner and found that I could purchase it at ONE local beauty supply store in town!

NOW, I'm hearing rave reviews about a product found only at a store called Trader Joes. The shampoo and conditioner is called Spa Nourish and is very inexpensive. There are no stores here in my state. They claim to be old fashioned and won't ship online. I can't find any online retailers that carry the product either! The closest city and state where I can purchase is Nashville, TN!! There are stores in Chi-Town so I'm going to make a phone call to my college bud to see if she wouldn't mind picking some up and mailing it to me! I love her dearly and would do the same for her. I'm a junkie without a doubt...

1.5 lbs Lost, 33.5 to Go!

2009-09-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

(190.5 pounds 9-12-09 )

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html

Oh yeah!! I lost 1 1/2 pounds this week. I have to admit I haven't exactly been an angel, but I did put forth somewhat of an effort to cut back on the sweets and just cut back in general! Managed to work out 4 times this week. Five times is ideal, but I only managed four. I was worried there for a minute b/c I picked up 3 pounds mid week. I was tempted to throw in the towel and eat a few donuts BUT I didn't.

I'm a little stressed about an upcoming test I need to take and how it will affect my efforts (I pig out when stressed). Matter of fact, the test was given at the high school where I jogged this morning. I chickened out and didn't sign up, b/c I still didn't feel confident or prepared. Plus, they're expensive @ $140 per test! I'll prep myself and gear up for when it's given again in November.

Muffin Tops and Sausage Casings

2009-09-09T00:04:00.000-05:00

That's how my clothes look and feel when worn...like muffin tops and sausage casings, but all that will hopefully change. The workout regimen is going great. I hope I can continue to balance working out with everything else I have going on. I've got an upcoming Praxis II PLT test in November. That test along with the holiday stress is a perfect combination for weight gain if I don't monitor my behavior.

Anywho, I created a workout schedule. I intend to work out 1 hour 5x a week! Here's the plan:

Day 1 and Day 4

Treadmill 30 minutes
100 crunches
25 reps on arm machine #1
25 reps on arm machine #2
25 reps on back machine
25 reps on ab machine #1
25 reps on ab machine #2

Day 2

Jog 3 miles

Day 3 and Day 5

Treadmill 30 minutes
100 crunches
25 reps on leg machine #1
25 reps on leg machine #2
25 reps on back machine
25 reps on ab machine #1
25 reps on ab machine #2

The workouts are going great but can't resist the urge to not cheat when eating! The first step is to admit there is a problem. I admit. I'm a sugar addict.

0 lbs. Lost, 35 to Go!

2009-09-05T12:22:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

(Above pic taken 9-06-09 @ 192 pounds)

I started this blog in an effort lose weight while documenting my weightloss journey. Yes, I'm determined to lose 35 lbs before my upcoming 35th birthday. I've been on a weightloss rollercoaster off and on for the past 10 years. Even though I've had successful regimens, "successful" is relative because I've yet to learn to keep the weight off! I think it's best for me to list my weightloss obstacles (excuses) and determine why it's a constant battle to keep the weight off!

Problems

No time to exercise (work, transporting children to after school activities)
Crave junk food when stressed
Too much fried food

Solutions

Utilize membership at 24 hour gym
Healthier food alternatives
Bake and Grill

Okay, for me listing the solutions is easier said than done. I really need to take action. I found the courage to step on the scale and was absolutely mortified! Here's the deal-- I mapped out a plan to lose the weight by my 35th birthday (I turn 35 in 24 weeks). I'll need to lose 1.5 lbs EACH WEEK between now and February 13th. I believe this is a realistic goal.

I've set up a sheet to record my weight loss each week, check it out :

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pHHsYi5YTiPymN-ksOtK-Gw&output=html.

I'm optimistic, BUT I know I gotta put some effort into this. I applaud my self for walking 3 miles this morning, but I'm disgusted for eating that handful of m & m's and other candy today!

These photos were taken a month or so ago and my evident weight gain is just plain unaccepatable! The Linebacker Look is NOT a good look for me. I want to be svelte at 35 NOT FRUMPY!

The plan is to have a healthy weight loss and to keep it off! This blog is mainly dedicated to those efforts, but I'll share other bits and pieces of my life that I see fit. Please bookmark me!!!